Toilet ventilating apparatus



Oct. 23, 1962 BELL 3,059,245

TOILET VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 18, 1960 66 1Q. n 60 4 {Q FIG. 3 60 JNVENTOR.

ALFRED 0. BELL 68 31 W, WW

. y E A AT TORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,059,245 TOILET VENTILATING APPARATUS Alfred D. Bell, 2573 University Ave., San Diego 4, Calif. Filed Nov. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 70,299

5 Claims. (Cl. 4-213) The present invention relates to toilet ventilating apparatus, and more particularly to a toilet ventilating apparatus which provides toilet ventilation through the same conduit which provides the toilet flushing water.

According to the present invention, a ventilating ap paratus is provided which carries away objectionable odors from the toilet bowl to usual vent means, such as a vent pipe or sewer pipe. Novel means are provided for preventing any oders from seeping back through the apparatus into the toilet \bowl. The present apparatus is particularly designed for combination with toilets which do not have ventilating apparatus. That is, the apparatus is designed to be externally connected to the toilet through the usual conduit which provides flushing water. The construction of the toilet itself need not be altered, and the apparatus is therefore uniquely suited for coverting presently used toilets into a combination which will be effective to vent undesirable odors.

More particularly, the present toilet ventilating apparatus includes an air blower-water pump arrangement which is effective to exhaust undesirable odors from the toilet bowl through the flushing conduit when the toilet seat is depressed. Depression of the toilet seat actuates a switch which operates an electric motor for driving the air lblower-wa-ter pump arrangement. The air blower exhausts the odors through a one way valve so that water will not be exhausted along with the odors should the toilet be flushed at the time the electric'motor is in operation.

The exhausted odors are then discharged through a water trap and thence to the vent means. The water which is normally in the water trap to prevent the escape or back flow of odors is exhausted into a standpipe or reservoir by the water pump. When the motor is deenergized, this water will flow back into the water trap so that it can be re-used, thereby conserving water.

It is an important feature of the present invention that through the useof a separate water pump to remove the water from the water trap, the air blower may be made more eflicient. More particularly, since the air blower is only called upon to move air, larger conduits can be used for conveying the air to the vent means without concern for the otherwise diificult problem of moving large masses of water through comparatively large diameter conduits by the air blower alone. The operation of the air blower is thus more efiicient and quiet.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and appended drawings wherein is illustrated a preferred form of the invention, and in which:

from toilet bowl 12 passes through a drain passageway 22 which communicates with the usual drain or waste pipe (no-t shown) of the building.

In toilets of the prior art, the-water chamber 14 is connected by a flushing conduit either directly to the water source through a valve, or, more commonly, to a conven tional flush tank 26. Plush tanks vary in their location, some being positioned somewhat above the toilet bowl and connected thereto by a flushing conduit, Whereas other flush tanks are positioned to rest upon the rearward upper portion of the tank so that the outlet of the flush tank is immediately adjacent the water inlet to the toilet bowl. The operation of such flush tanks to release water for flushing the bowl is well known.

The ventilating apparatus 10 of the present invention is coupled between the toilet bowl 12 and the source of water, in this case a flush tank 26 by way of example. If a length of flushing conduit already is provided between tank 26 and bowl 12, this conduit is removed and the ventilating apparatus 10 is inserted instead, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. In those cases where the flush tank 26 rests immediately adjacent the toilet bowl 12, it is necessary to raise the flush tank 26 slightly in order to insert the present apparatus 10. In either event, it will be apparent that it is a simple matter to couple the present apparatus 10 to the tank-toilet bowl combination,

FIGURE 1 is a an elevational view, partially in cross section, illustrating the present toilet ventilating apparatus in combination with a usual form of toilet bowl;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view, in cross section, of the ventilating apparatus of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the present toilet ventilating apparatus, generally designated 10, is illustrated in combination with a usual and ordinary type of toilet bowl 12 having the conventional annular Water chamber 14 in communication with a flush ring 16. Plush ring 16 communicates with a plurality of outlet apertures 18 for flushing the exposed inner surface. of the bowl. In addition, water chamber 14 provides flushing water through a flushing passage 20, and the material flushed only one connection to the flushing conduit line being necessary. This is an important feature of the present invention in that it completely obviates any necessity for providing a. toilet bowl having additional or specially formed passageways therein. The toilet bowl 12 is used just as it is, without expensive and time consuming modification, and the insertion of apparatus 10 adds-the ventilating feature hereinafter described. i

Toilet ventilating apparatus 10 includes a conduit 28 which is connected between flush tank 26 and toilet bowl 12 to provide flushing water to bowl 12. Conduit 28 is connected to tank 26 and bowl 12 in any suitable manner in fluid-tight relationship, and affords support for the left end of apparatus 10, as viewed in FIGURE 1. As will subsequently be described, undesirable odors are exhausted or drawn through apertures 18, conduit 28, and thence through apparatus 10 to means such as a sewer pipe or the commonly employed vent pipe 30 which is carried behind the wall 32 of the bathroom.

Apparatus 10 is made in three main sections, with the central section itself being made in twoparts for easy assembly and maintenance. Conduit 28 comprisesthe left section of apparatus 10, and includes a horizontally disposed conduit stub 34, FIGURE 2, which terminates in an edge flange 36. I

The central portion of apparatus 10 includeshorizom tally disposed walls 38 and 40 which, together with inter.- mediatewall 42, form or define an air passage 44 which extends from conduit 28 into a structure defining a Water seal chamber. In the present invention this structure takes the form of a U-shaped gooseneck 46. More particularly, the left end of air passage 44comrnunicates with the interior of conduit 28 through stub conduit 34. A wall 48 is disposed between intermediate wall 42 and wall 40 to form a valve chamber within which is located a valve 50, which may take a spherical form. The function of valve 50 is to prevent water from passing from conduit 28 into air passage 44 when toiletbowl 12 is flushed. That is, any water which may enter will cause valve 50 to rise and close oil the outlet 52 from the valve chamber.

A fan or air blower 54 is disposed in air passage 44 downstream of valve 50, the inlet to fan 54 being formed by an opening 56 formed in wall 42, an outlet 58 from fan 54 being formed by an opening provided at the right side of the central section of apparatus 10.

The outlet 58 opens into the interior of gooseneck 46 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 which forms a continuation of air passage 44. Gooseneck 46 is provided with peripheral flanges at its upper and base portions which are connected by bolts 60 to mating flanges of the center section of apparatus 10. The right end of gooseneck 46 is secured in any suitable fashion, as by a nut 62, FIGURE 1, to vent pipe 30. The conduit section 64 between nut 62 and vent pipe 30 is preferably telescoping or adjustable to accommodate variations in distances between various toilets and their vent pipes, as will be obvious.

FIGURE 3 illustrates how the central section of apparatus is made in two sections 66, which are secured together by bolts (not shown) disposed through suitable openings 70, FIGURE 2.

The central section of apparatus 10 also includes an integral wall 72 which forms a motor chamber within which is housed an electric motor 74, whose drive shaft extends from both ends thereof. The upper end of the drive shaft of motor 74 is connected to blowe 54, and

the lower end of the drive shaft is connected to a usual water pump 76.

Wall 72, together with wall 40 and the outer wall of the center section of apparatus 10, forms a water reservoir 78 which includes an overflow passage 8% in communication with conduit 28 through stud conduit 34. It will be apparent that an excess of water in reservoir 78 will flow into the toilet bowl through conduit 28.

A small diameter conduit or tube 82 is disposed within conduit 28 with its upper end open in an upstream direction, and its lower end terminating in reservoir 78. When toilet bowl 12 is flushed, a portion of the flushing water will be carried by tube 82 into reservoir 78 to replenish the water therein, it being noted that this water flows past water pump 76 through a water passage 84 formed by the lower portion of the central section of apparatus 16 and by an integral stub wall 86. That is, the water in reservoir 78, under static conditions, will flow into the lower portion of gooseneck 46 until the water level in gooseneck 46 and reservoir 78 are approximately the same. The existence of water in gooseneck 46 thus prevents the undesirable seepage of odors from vent pipe 3% through apparatus 10 and into the toilet bowl 12.

The drive shaft of motor 74 is provided with suitable water-tight packings, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to prevent the seepage or leakage of water from reservoir 78 up into the motor compartment.

Operation of apparatus ltl is initiated when the weight of the user depresses the toilet seat 88, FIGURE 1, against the bias of a spring or the like (not shown) which maintains seat 88 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1. Depression of seat 88 actuates a switch 96 which is con- 'nected by suitable wiring (not shown) to motor 74. If desired, switch 90 may be designed to cut off motor 74 only after expiration of a predetermined time from the raising of seat 88, as will be apparent.

Actuation of switch 90, and consequent operation of motor 74, simultaneously rotates blower 54 and pump 76 whereby pump 76 operates to pump the water from gooseneck 46 through water passage 84 and into reservoir 78. Blower 54 also exhausts air from the toilet bowl through apertures 18, through conduit 28, and air passage 44 to vent pipe 30.

It is important to note that by reason of the operation of pump 76, blower 54 is called upon only to move air through passage 44, and a lower velocity flow of air results. In contrast, the operation of apparatus 10 would be much noisier if fan 54 were also called upon to remove the water in gooseneck 46, since a high velocity air flow would be necessary to accomplish such removal.

After use of toilet bowl 12, microswitch 99 is deactuated, and motor 74 ceases to operate, and the water which has been maintained within reservoir 78 by the operation of pump 76 is permitted to seep back into 'gooseneck 46 to provide a water trap.

While a certain preferred embodiment of the invention A has been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Toilet ventilating apparatus for connection between a source of water and a toilet bowl to exhaust air from said toilet bowl to vent means such as a vent or sewer pipe, said apparatus comprising: conduit means forming a fluid connection between said source of Water and said toilet bowl; means forming an air passage between said conduit means and said vent means, said air passage including a water seal chamber; means including vertically extending walls cooperating to form a water reservoir, said means also forming a water passage between said reservoir and said chamber whereby said chamber is normally supplied with water to form a water trap, said water reservoir being disposed alongside said water seal chamber and said water passage interconnecting the lower portion of said water seal chamber and said water reservoir, one of said vertically extending walls being disposed above said water passage and between the water seal chamber and said water reservoir for sealing said water reservoir against the flow of air between the air passage and said water reservoir; an air blower disposed in said air passage; a water pump disposed for pumping water from said water seal chamber through said water passage to said water reservoir; and means for simultaneously operating said blower and said pump to pump water from said chamber into said reservoir and exhaust air through said chamber to said vent means.

2. Toilet ventilating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said water reservoir means includes means forming an overflow outlet from said reservoir to said conduit means.

3. Toilet ventilating apparatus according to claim 1 and including means for carrying water from said conduit means to replenish said water reservoir means upon flushing of said toilet bowl.

4. Toilet ventilating apparatus for connection between a source of water and a toilet bowl to exhaust air from 'said toilet 'bowl to vent means such as a vent or sewer pipe, said apparatus comprising: conduit means forming a fluid connection between said source of water and said toilet bowl; means forming an air passage between said conduit means and said vent means, said air passage including a water seal chamber; water reservoir means, said last means including a water reservoir and a water passage between said reservoir and said chamber whereby said chamber is normally supplied with water to form a water trap, said Water reservoir means also including means forming an overflow outlet from said reservoir to said conduit means; means for carrying water from said conduit means to replenish said water reservoir means upon flushing of said toilet bowl; an air blower disposed in said air passage; one-way valve means disposed in said air passage between said conduit means and said air blower to block the passage of water to said air blower; a pump disposed in said water passage; and means for simultaneously operating said blower and said pump to pump water from said chamber into said reservoir and exhaust air through said chamber to said vent means.

5. Toilet ventilating apparatus for connection between a source of water and a toilet bowl to exhaust air from 'said toilet bowl to vent means such as a vent or sewer pipe, said apparatus comprising: conduit means forming a fluid connection between said source of water and said toilet bowl; means forming an air passage between said conduit means and said vent means, said air passage including a water seal chamber; water reservoir means, said means including a water reservoir and a water passage between said reservoir and said chamber whereby said chamber is normally supplied with water to form a water trap; an air blower disposed in said air passage; a pump disposed in said water passage; and means for simultaneously operating said blower and said pump to pump water from said chamber into said reservoir and exhaust air through said chamber to said vent means; and a one- Way valve means disposed in said air passage between said conduit means and said air blower to block the passage of Water to said air blower.

6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,619,655 Huff Dec. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 349,171 Italy June 8, 1937 

